We cast our eye over the undulating route for the upcoming Volta a Catalunya.
Preview of the 93rd edition
Sir Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky will look to keep recent momentum going as the riders head to north-eastern Spain for the Volta a Catalunya.
Seven days of varied and challenging racing await the peloton, with two summit finishes and several rolling routes sure to provide a platform for an eventful and compelling race.
It will be Wiggins’ second stage race of the year after his appearance at the Tour of Oman and represents a key part of his build-up to May’s Giro d’Italia.
The Brit will be ably supported by a strong line-up as Team Sky look to extend their lead at the top of the WorldTour standings.
Stages
Monday 18 March - Stage one: Calella to Calella, 159.3km
The opening stage of the race exits Calella to hit the hills before looping back around and finishing in the seaside town. The road rises up straight off the start line to the third-category Alt Collsacreu, before rising back up for the first-category Alt del Montseny, which presents the day’s toughest challenge after just over 40km. The riders will then tackle the again Alt Collsacreu on the way back down as the route heads north-east in the direction of Girona and flattens out for about 30km. It soon rears back up for the third-category Alt de Montsoriu and Alt de Collsacreu, which tops out 15km from home and will present the last chance for attackers looking to avoid a bunch sprint.
TV coverage: Live on Eurosport between 1430-1600 with highlights at 1845 and 2330 (BE2).
Tuesday 19 March - Stage two: Girona to Banyoles, 160.7km
A gently rolling route ending with four laps around Lake of Banyoles, stage two should be a day for punchy sprinters. After leaving Girona on a flat road, the day’s only categorised climb is the third-category Mirador de San Feliu de Guixols at just under 50km. Following an intermediate sprint on the descent, the road angles back up and north towards Banyoles, with the first circuit commencing with 40km to go. A small climb that has to be negotiated four times will decide the fate of the breakaway and also whether finish will be contested by outright sprinters or puncheurs.
TV coverage: Live on Eurosport between 1430-1600 with highlights at 2300 (BE2).
Wednesday 20 - Stage three: Vidreres to Vallter 2000 Setcases, 180.1km
The pure climbers come to the fore on stage three, which concludes with a summit finish at the ski resort of Vallter 2000. There are two category-one climbs to negotiate first, with the Alt de San Hilari topping out at 65km and the steep Tunel Collabos following after 146km. That climb acts as a springboard to the ascent to Vallter 2000, which ramps up to a maximum gradient of 12 per cent and will offer the contenders for overall victory the opportunity to gain time on their rivals.
TV coverage: Live on Eurosport 2 between 1430-1600 with highlights at 1615 and 2330 (both BE1).
Thursday 21 March - Stage four: Llanars – Vall de Campodron to Port Aine Rialp, 217.7km
The race’s queen stage throws up another summit finish and an even tougher day of climbing than stage three, with three categorised and two hors-category ascents punctuating a punishing day in the saddle. A descent out of Camprodron loosens the legs before the third-category Coll de Merolla commences the climbing just before the 40km mark. The first-category Alt del Pedraforca and Alt de la Josa del Cadi follow in quick succession, but the real action is likely to be saved for the last and hardest two climbs. The Port de Canto reaches a maximum gradient of 12 per cent and tops out at 172km, after which there is a sharp descent to the foot of the climb to Port Aine-Rialp. The ascent is both long (almost 24km) and steep (maximum 12 per cent) and is likely to decide who will and won’t be contesting overall victory.
TV coverage: Live on Eurosport between 1430-1600 with highlights at 1800, 2000 and 2330.
Friday 22 March - Stage five: Rialp to Lleida 156.5km
What goes up must come down, and after stage’s four’s back-breaking climb, the riders can enjoy a day of largely downhill riding. The road plummets out of Rialp for more than 60km, before the only climbing test sees the riders take on the second-category Port d’Ager after 78km. After that, there’s another 30km of fast downhill, followed by a flatter section of about 40km as the road heads towards Lleida. The final 10km are back downhill, with a flat section right at the end setting up a sprint to the finish.
TV coverage: Live on Eurosport between 1430-1600 with highlights at 2330 (BE2).
Saturday 23 March - Stage six: Almacelles to Valls, 178.7km
The penultimate day offers the best chance for a breakaway to stay out and claim victory as the road heads back towards the Mediterranean coast. Rolling downhill out of Almacelles, the riders will enjoy a gentle opening 80km before the action resumes on the first-category Alt de Prades, which tops out after 112km. A sharp descent into the town of Alcover follows, before the day’s second climb takes the riders up the second-category Alt de Lilla. If the break can hang on over this peak, they have will have just a 14km downhill run to the finish left to negotiate. There’s a sting in the tail, though, as the road rises up to the line to provide to add spice to the sprint.
TV coverage: Live on Eurosport between 1430-1600 with highlights at 2000 and 2230 (BE2).
Sunday 24 March - Stage seven: El Vendrell to Barcelona (Montjuic), 122.2km
The race ends with a short, 122km dash starting in El Vendrell and ending with seven laps of a circuit around the Olympic park in Barcelona. The route is largely flat for the 65km run into the Catalan capital, but then things get livelier courtesy of the fact that each circuit includes a category-three ascent of Alt de Montjuic. If the gaps in the general classification are still small, a dramatic finish could be in the offing, while the puncheurs will be keen to bag themselves a stage win.
TV coverage: Live on Eurosport between 1430-1600 with highlights at 2000.
Team Sky history
Rigoberto Urán has ridden well at the Volta a Catalunya, finishing fifth overall in 2012, fourth in 2011 and second in 2008 as a 21-year-old. He also won stage four of last year’s race, before finishing second the following day. Dario Cataldo also fared well in the 2012 edition, finishing ninth on the general classification thanks to three top-10 stage finishes.
